Friday, June 21, 2024

Summer Holidays - Like When We Were Kids




"Summer afternoon—summer afternoon;
to me those have always been the two most
beautiful words in the English language."
HENRY JAMES


The first day of summer dawned beautifully, with clear blue skies and a sunrise worth waking up for. As the old saying goes, let's start as we mean to continue. 

These last days of June often remind me of my childhood when the warmer days would beguile me as I squirmed at my desk in the classroom, feeling the breeze through an open window and yearning to be outside in the warm sunshine, secretly counting the days until summer holidays. Author George Eliot wrote that the days were longer back then, that summer afternoons were spacious. Oh yes, and they were alive with possibility for exploring, playing with our friends, and making grand plans for summertime adventures.

Thinking about those long ago days, I have a yearning in my soul to try and capture some of that wondrous feeling this summer. To pretend we're on school summer holidays and dream about possibility and playing with our friends, making a few plans for little adventures and maybe some bigger ones.

The other day I was in the kitchen peeling a bowl of hard boiled eggs for lunch. To make the Irish egg salad sandwiches I mentioned in an earlier post HERE. And then the wildish thought came to me—why not phone our dear friends (it's quarter to noon) and say we're bringing Irish egg salad sandwiches for lunch, put the tea on, hope you're free, hope you haven't eaten yet. They were right ready to join in, with V– on the phone and J– excitedly chirping in the background, 'Oh yes, come!' So we packed a picnic—the egg salad, of course, fresh Cobbs 'everything' buns, a large Washington 'Cosmic Crisp' apple to cut into slices, a bag of Miss Vickie's Sweet Chili and Sour Cream potato chips, and a small packet of Lotus Biscoff cookies for dessert.

A good time was had by all. Eating and chatting about everything and nothing.

After lunch we stepped into the garden to see how things were beginning to grow. I mentioned to my girlfriend how much I was enjoying the clouds of blue flax blooming out there (see photo above). She said it had reseeded itself and was now growing in several spots... as if it had all been in the grand plan. It looked so lovely. I love when that happens. When little and big surprises show up in the garden giving us those unexpected delights of beauty and scent.

Our spur-of-the-moment visit hit the spot in more ways than just eating egg salad sandwiches to satisfy hunger. It scratched an itch for something I found myself longing for from summers long ago. That's what I want this summer. A feeling of being on summer holidays, with spontaneous happy events that don't need a lot of planning but turn an ordinary day into something buoyant and soul satisfying. I'm hoping that we'll have many more of them over the next few couple of months.

When I started this post, I thought I didn't have a thing to write about, but here I am, happily typing this on the longest evening of the year so it can post first thing in the morning. The sun is still up, the robins are singing, and now I can contentedly call it a day. But first, I'm off to watch the sunset and the long twilight.

It's my wish for you that you'll also experience that sense of childhood summer holidays as summer begins. With room to play and dream and whatever else makes summer special for you. I think next time, I might chat about summer holiday reading, because I LOVE reading on my summer holidays. Until then....


Here's wishing you a beautiful day,
Brenda

Photo credits:
Brenda Leyland @ It's A Beautiful Life

My Summer blog schedule:
I post on Fridays




24 comments:

  1. oh I LOVE this! I related to the squirming school-girl and savoured every delicious crumb and drop of picnic lunch, (don't you LOVE the Cosmic Crisp?!!) I delighted in each surprise of joy. I esp. love this..., 'the clouds of blue flax'. And yes, to living summer like you suggest!! 'A feeling of being on summer holidays, with spontaneous happy events that don't need a lot of planning but turn an ordinary day into something buoyant and soul satisfying. ' <3

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    1. I do love the Cosmic Crisp, Janet! And I'm so glad you enjoyed today's post about summer holidays, then and now. Wishing you a beautiful weekend. xo

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  2. Oh Brenda you manage to capture my summer dreams also. This past week I have picked wild raspberries that grow along the fence row and have found moments of joy that transport me back to my childhood summer holidays. Yes dear one you always find something wonderful to share. There is never a time that I come visit you that I do not leave encouraged and feeling better about my day. Thank you always for your heartwarming posts. Hugs!

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    1. I cannot imagine feasting on wild raspberries, we just don't see many around these parts. Not that they aren't around here; I'm just not in the right places at the right time. They must taste so delicious! I'm so grateful for your kind words, Debbie, thank you very much. You squeezed my heart happy. xo

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  3. Yes! Oh I do love spontaneity! I'm so glad your friends were available! I'm trying to be more purposeful and invite friends to come join me for lunch or swimming. Childhood summers, indeed!

    Deanna Rabe

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    1. You are an inspiration on your blog, Deanna, when you chat about all many ways you extend hospitality and go with the spontaneous flow of friendship.

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  4. Picnics and garden tours--quintessential summer experiences! These "little" things are so very deeply satisfying on many levels. And lovely memories of summer afternoons are what get us through our long winters. 😊

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    1. It's true, it's these little things that are often so very deeply satisfying. They meet a need - so often we don't know we need it until it's been fulfilled. Thanks for your note. xo

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  5. Thanks for stirring my memories of those last school days before summer. Oh the excitement of all those summer days ahead of me (didn’t time go by slowly when we were children?). Love salad and Miss Vicki chips…the making of a perfect picnic. 😊

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    1. It doesn't take much to trigger those old school days memories. :) Time did seem to pass slowly when we were children. I do remember noticing that the older I got the summer holidays passed quicker. Thanks, Sandy, for stopping by.

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  6. Sorry, I’m Anonymous. Forgot to sign in…

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  7. Spontaneity is a good word to describe summer holidays as a child. Oh, the freedom of that last day of school - my feet almost flew me home! Bicycling to the pool and reading in the basement were two of my favourite activities.
    How lovely that your friends were open to your invitation - sometimes those are the best visits. I look forward to trying that egg salad mixture when we return home. Picnics, here we come!

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    1. Yes, here's to summer picnics. I'm looking forward to making that French style potato salad you posted about last summer. It's on my favourites list. Loved the phrase 'my feet almost flew me home' - talk about excited!!

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  8. Brenda, your evocative post flew me straight back to childhood picnics with my mother. On a sunny day she would say, 'Let's escape!' and she and I would hop on our somewhat ancient bikes, and take the lane to the ferry over the river. Mum's picnics always had egg sandwiches and all sorts of goodies. Thank you for that memory.
    Looking at your flax photo reminded me of some of the fields of flax in France, where the ripples of misty blue looked just like water.

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    1. Oh, I love your mom's phrase "Let's escape!" How'd I'd love seeing those fields of flax in France you mentioned - "ripples of misty blue". My cousin here in Alberta grows fields of flax, and it's a joy to see it blooming in the summer.

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  9. Great post. Summer's always take me back to going barefoot. We never wore shoes in the Summer. Pulling watermelons out of my Grandfather's huge field of melons. Eating them right there in the field. Spending the night with friends. Goodness...this post has given me so many memories. Hope you will visit me at http://shug-stepsoffaith.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you, Shug, for stopping by. What a treat to 'meet' a new blogging friend. I enjoyed your summer memories. I'm off to visit you on your blog. Wishing you a beautiful week ahead.

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  10. Such a great reminder that extending hospitality doesn't have to be fancy or expensive! Egg salad sandwiches and a few other goodies make a fantastic spread! Nothing elaborate, just simple and delicious. And a lovely way to spend time with friends! I have to admit that summer is my least favorite season (I hate the heat!). My favorite thing about the first day of summer is that the daylight hours will start to lessen. I am one of those weirdos who likes it dark earlier than 10:00 at night.

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    1. Hi Patti, Thanks for your lovely note. I can appreciate that summer is your least favourite season - I would surely melt into a puddle in that intense heat you experience. Like you, I I do love winter solstice and the dark, shorter days of winter. But, I also love the long twilights of our northerly summer evenings - they make my heart sing. Wishing you a beautiful week ahead. Stay cool.

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  11. Your spontaneous picnic is the perfect way to kick off summer!

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  12. Yes, summer is so beautiful, with its warm summer nights and its splendor of flowers.
    Although I love every season... at least when it shows itself at its best... Winter - snow and blue sky. Spring - the awakening of nature. Summer - yes, the warm summer nights and a glass of white wine. Autumn - the colorful leaves of the trees and the wind blowing in the children's kites.
    We have fireflies in the garden when it gets dark - it looks enchanting, like a fairytale dream.
    Happy greetings come to you from Viola.

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    1. Thank you so much, Viola, for your lovely comment. Like you, I enjoy the seasons in turn. Each is beautiful in its own way. Would not want to miss any of their beauty. Thank you for visiting. I will come and see you soon. Wishing you glimpses of heaven in unexpected places.

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  13. This was inspiring, Brenda. How wonderful that you did something so spontaneous, and that your friends were open to it. Thank you for sharing about it here!

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To My Beautiful Readers,

Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. ~ Franz Peter Schubert

Thank you so much for leaving your 'footprint' here in my comment box. I do appreciate you taking a moment to share your thoughts today.

Brenda xo